Mine shaft equipment



March 19, 1940. E; 1 BERRYMAN Er AL 2,194,134

MINE SHAFT EQUIFMENT Filed Dec. 7, 1936 ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 19, 1940 MiNE SHAFT EQUIPMENT Edwin J. Berryman, Grass Valley, and .lohn B. Newsom, Nevada City, Calif., assignors to Idaho 'Maryland Mines Corporation, kSan Francisco,

Calif., a corporation of Nevada Application December 7, 1936, Serial No. 114,620

VIIS

This 'invention relates to a device for resisting the rotation of a hoisting cable operating within a mine shaft and to a combination of' such a device with a safety hood and skip.

kIt isa Well-known fact that oftentimes stranded hoisting cables tend to twist when they are subjected to a load. In mining operations this twisting of cables gives rise to considerable danger yand therefore any solution of `this problem is important.

When sinking a mine shaft in accordance with and by the method and apparatus disclosed in J. B. Newsoms pending application Serial No. 15,226, led April 8, 1935, now PatentNo.2,065,'725, it is not feasible'to install guides during the sinking operation. This is for the reason that the drill must be raised to the surface each time that a core ten or fifteen feet long has been drilled. It has therefore been found necessary to provide some other means for resisting or preventing the rotation of cables used in hoisting cores and apparatus such as skips.

In general, the object of this invention is the provision of means for resisting the rotation of hoisting cables operating within a mine shaft.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for resisting the rotation of a hoisting cable operating within a mine shaft in combination with a safety hood.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device for resisting the rotation of a hoisting cable operating Within a mine shaft in combination with a safety hood and a skip.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing Will be set forth at length in the following description where that form of the invention which has been selected for illustration in the drawing accompanying and forming a part of the present specication is outlined in full. In said drawing, one form of the invention is shown, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to such form, since the invention as set forth in the claims may be embodiedin a plurality of forms.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a device embodying the objects of our invention and shown in its operative position within a mine shaft.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

As shown in the various figures of the drawing, the objects of our invention may be em-r bodied in a device comprising a horizontal frame brackets i6 bolted or rivetedto the plate I. Al-

or plate I adapted to be accommodated Within the shaft 2. Secured to the plate I is a block 3 provided with a 'plurality of sheaves 4 by means of which the device is supported from a cable v5. Formed on the upper face of the plate I are a plurality of spaced sets of lugs 6, to which are pivoted armsl, thefree ends of which carry pins Ii for supporting rubber tired wheels 9, such as air plane wheels. To each pin 8 is pivoted a forked arm II, the inner end of which is free to move through an aperture formed in the'angle iron I2 secured to the kblock 3. For the purpose of limiting the 'outward movement of the arm II, its inner end is threaded and provided with a nut I. Surrounding the inner end of the forked arm II is a coil spring I3, one end of which engages the shoulder I4 of the arm II, while the other end engages the angle iron I2. From this construction it will be seen that the spring I3 urges the wheel 9 radially outward against the walls of the shaft 2.

In the drawing two diametrically opposedl wheels 8 have been shown. At right angles to the Wheels 9 are wheels I5 rotatably secured to though the wheels I5 have not been shown as provided with means for permitting their radial movement with respect to the shaft as are the wheels 9, it is obvious .that all four Wheels may be constructed and made to operate in the same 30 fashion as the wheels 9. Furthermore, instead of providing two radially movable wheels, the device could be vmade to operate with two or more fixed Wheels and one radially movable Wheel, and instead of using four Wheels as shown in the 35 drawing, three spaced wheels could be made to operate very satisfactorily.

Secured to the under side of the plate I is an upright member Il, which may be conveniently made by bending a plate back upon itself in the fashion of a hair pin, so that its free ends are spaced as shown in Figure 3. The upright I1 is braced by means of struts I8 welded to the under` side of the plate I. Bolted to the lower end of the upright I'I is a bail I9 of a skip 20. The upper periphery of the skip 20 is provided with diametrically opposed straps 2l to which are pivoted U-shaped latches 22 adapted to stradt dle the side portions of the bail I9 and thereby hold the bail in a fixed position with respect to the skip 2D. In order to prevent the skip 20 from rocking in the plane of the paper as shown in Figure 1, a block or stop member 23 is secured to the upright I'I in contact with the bail I9. The Vertical distance between the rim of the skip 20 and the plate I should be suilcient to permit an operator to stand upright on the upper rim of the skip.

It will be noted that when the latches 22 are in the position shown in Figure 1, the skip 2U, bail I9, and upright Il have no relative motion with respect to each other and form in effect an integral structure. If therefore the hoist operator lowers the hoist too far, the slnp cannot tip over in the shaft, but remains upright, thereby holding the plate I in a horizontal position so that the operator is protected at all times.

The plate I serves as a safety hood for the operator standing on the skip while Working within the shaft and should be provided with a man hole 24 through which an operator may pass, and with a cover 25 for closing the man hole 24.

It will be noted that due to the traction of the wheels 9 with the walls of the shaft 2, and particularly due to the fact that the Wheels 9 are urged in frictional engagement With the walls of the shaft 2 by means of the springs I3, the rotation of the frame or plate I together with any load which it may carry, such as the skip 2D, due to any tendency of the cable 5 to twist, is resisted or entirely prevented.

Although our rotation resisting device has been shown in combination With a skip, it can of course be used in combination with any other load, such as for example a core, drilling machine, or elevator cage.

If it is desired to use a single cable for supporting the rotation resisting device instead of a block and tackle as shown in the various figures, the cable frame or plate I may be provided with a ball bearing swivel to which the cable can be secured. In that event, the twisting of the cable is taken up by the swivel and the plate or frame I held stationary by means of the wheels 8.

We claim:

l. A device for resisting the rotation of a hoisting cable within a mine shaft and designed for free vertical travel therein, comprising: a safety plate; spaced wheels rotatably secured to said safety plate on horizontal axes and arranged for traction within the Walls of said shaft; means for supporting said safety plate from said hoisting cable; a vertical support rigidly secured to and depending from said plate; a skip provided with a bail immovably secured to the lower end of said vertical support; and a latch for holding said skip in a fixed relation with respect to its bail.

2. A device for resisting the rotation of a hoisting cable within a drilled mine shaft and designed for free vertical travel therein, comprising: a safety plate; spaced wheels rotatably secured to said safety plate on horizontal axes and arranged for traction with the smooth walls of said shaft; means for supporting said safety plate from said hoisting cable; a bail immovably secured to said plate; and a skip secured to said bail.

EDWIN J. BERRYMAN. JOHN B. NEWSOM. 

